Device for sharpening cutlery



June 1949- w. E. FLEMING ETAL 2,474,622

DEVICE FOR SHARPENING CUTLERY Filed Nov. 26, 1948 INVENTORS. W/L L/AM 5. FA [MM/6 Patented June 28, 1949 UNITED DEVICE FOR SHARPENING CUTLERY William E. Fleming and Edward C. Fleming,

Cedar Rapids, Iowa I I Application November 26, 1948, Serial No. 62,104

3 Claims. (Cl. 51-187) of grind-stones, Carborundum stones, oil stones and the like. One of the main disadvantages, in

the use of such stones, particularly for maintaining keen cutting edges, is that the abrasive particles forming the surface of the stone wear off and lose some of their cutting ability; also the porous surface of the stone becomes filled up with metal particles.

Sharpeners have been devised which employ abrasive coated tape to provide a renewable abrasive surface. Some of these devices have been reasonably satisfactory except that their relatively complicated structure has resulted in such high cost as to discourage wide use.

It is necessary, in a device of this character, when employed for sharpening edged tools, that the abrasive tape be stretched and held taut during use. The abrasive support or base should also be non-resilient so as to avoid rounding the cutting edge of the tool.

Therefore, a primary object of our invention is the provision of an extremely simple and ineX- pensive device for mounting an abrasive coated tape for use in sharpening and maintaining the cutting edges of most kinds of cutlery such as butchers knives, carpenters tools and the like.

A further object of our invention is the provision, in such a device, of simplified means for securing the abrasive coated tape and holding it taut during use.

Other and further features and objects of the invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of the accompanying drawings and following specifications, wherein is disclosed a single exemplary embodiment of the invention, with the understanding, however, that such changes may be made therein as fall within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a cutlery sharpening device constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of our invention.

Figure 2 is a view in top elevation of the device shown in Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal sec- 2 tion of the device as taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Refer now to these drawings in which an abrasive-coated, fabric tape, indicated by the numeral I0, is mounted on a base member indicated generally at II and secured and held taut thereon by a clamping member I2. The base II is preferably a generally rectangular, block-like member of wood or molded plastic. The clamping member I2 comprises a generally rectangular, open-center frame fabricated from a narrow strip or band of metal. The ends I3 and I4 of the strip forming the end section I6 of the clamping member are joined together by the L-shaped strip H which also serves as a handle. The clamping member is pivotally mounted adjacent one end of the base I I, on the transverse pivot pin I8 which member is preferably positioned somewhat above the center-line of the base.

The end I9 of the base nearest the pivot pin is curved or relieved as at 2|, the curvature starting at a point preferably at or above the level of the pivot pin, and having a radius somewhat less than the length of the short leg, that is, the distance between the pivot pin and the end section 22 of the clampin member. Thus the clearance between the base and the clamping member, at the end adjacent the pivot pin, increases and the tape is disengaged and released when the clamping member is hinged upwardly as indicated by dotted lines at In in Figure 3.

The end 23 of the base opposite the pivot pin is slightly relieved at the upper transverse edge 24 thereof to permit upward hingeing movement of the clamping member.

A transverse bore 26, in the base, is adapted to receive a small roll 21 of the abrasive tape III, the bore being intercepted by a narrow transverse slot 28 extending through to the bottom surface 30 of the base to permit passage of the tape downwardly therethrough. The tape extends from this slot upwardly over the end I9 and over the top surface 29 of the base and then downwardly over the end 23 thereof.

The clamping member I2, as it is forced downwardly by pressure on the handle I 1, first engages the tape at the end of the base adjacent the pivot pin. The handle end of the clamping member next engages the tape just below the upper surface of the base and, due to the frictional engagement between the tape and the clamping member, the tape is pulled taut as the clamping member is forced completely down to the position shown in Figure 1 and as shown in full lines in Figure 3. The length of the clamping member 3 such that the tape is bound firmly between the ends thereof and the adjacent ends of the base. A device such as we have herein described is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufac- 4 surface thereof and having a transversely disposed cylindrical bore intercepted by the slot, a roll of abrasive tape disposed in the bore with the end of the tape extending downwardly ture, yet has all the advantages of the more com- 5 through the slot and thence upwardly over an plicated devices heretofore suggested for the purpose. A particularly important feature of the device is its ability to hold the abrasive tape taut againstathe non-resilient surface of ,lthe'; base member.

Although We have described a specific embodiment of our invention, it is apparent that modifications thereof may be made by thosa sflkilledyin the art. Such modifications may be made withend of the base to cover the upper surface thereof, a generally rectangular clamping member peripherally enclosing the said base, the end portions 1 thereof adapted; @to closely; engage and bind the tape against the-ends of the base, means pivotv ally mounting the clamping member on the base for movement about a transverse axis adjacent ene endithereof, the lower edge of the end of the base adjacent the pivot means and the upper out departing from the spiritraandi scope-[of our e'dgeof the-endofthe base opposite thereto being invention as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim: v 1.7In a device for sharpening cutlery, agenerally rectangular, block-like base, one endof Zthe base being curved at the lower portion thereof a, nd thq ppp os ite,glad being relievedrat th pp edge thereof, the base having a transverse, ,cyli n- .ldreieall,b reaea endin therethron huati a spa gdistance, from rthewbottomf surface, thereoi and mariner :.lnar owitran verse. slo x endin p- -,,w.ard1y ther hro ra t eobo o t u zface v ofllthe. base; into the transverse. bore, a eroll ,pf abra ve-tape rec ivedJn-said bor withlon fend ,ltherepfirextending downwardly through ,the slot,

upwardlyoyerfthe, curved endof ,the baserlength- 30 wiser, aver thentoplsurfacerand downwardly, oyer i h saidrppp s terendv t of,. a clamping. member, comprising; a rectangular frame received over .filh abase and,a\daptedito =bind ,;the -,abrasive tape ,between the ends,.therzeof and, theend -portions rif gtlyie. .ba se a ,pivot' pin; extending transversely ,thronghl iihe base. rand clamping, member.v adjaggnt;.,the, ,cu.rved end, ,of, the, base, .the pivot, pin being positipned a slightly, greater, distance from -,,th curvediendlofutheubase "than from; .therbot- 1:40 siter-end, thereof.

.tomtsurf cedthereof.

, 'olnai-devicemfor sh rp n n cu ry a n rall m tan u arriblock i e., ase, haying nar- ,row ,slot extending ,,.tra nsver s ely.; of l, the i-bottom relieved to permit disengagement of the clamp- .iinglmember.

3. In a device for sharpening cutlery, a generally rectangular, block-like base, a generally rec- 0 tangular, hollow-center; clamping member adapt- :s z v nl thesid rancl.endyWa ;-:ofi: ai :ba e, lam abrasives a v end ne aver thea opesunfae .of thea-base w ith ,theends thereof yextending downwardly \betweenv. -theenda-wallscof the base and the end portions of the clampingmember and clamped ,therebetween, vmeans :piyotally mounting, ,the clamping membenon thebaseesaid ,meansenteriding,- transversely of g the, ,base radia- ,-cent;one end thereofwthe said adj agent.v end of ,the, :base being relieved I at the-lower 1, transverse edge thereof andy the -end,- of the: base Opposite the said adjacent end: being relievedaat, the-upper -;transyerse,-,edge.--thereof, :whereby, the,-clam-pi;ng ,member mayehin z outwardly; in ire tion ,about, its pivotal mountingrmeanslandwvnhereby the clamping member, when moyedutowardgits ,Q1&Z1f1,ping cp0Siti0n;vWill::fi-rst rengage and se ure the: tape ,atnsaid .zaolj acent ,end -of the basefibefore engaging and tighteni th ta at sa E FLEMING. '--,.EDW RD1 C. t-F EWNG.

No references cited. 

